The Big Picture

Sean and Amanda take a deep dive into one of their favorite directors' newest films: Wes Anderson’s ‘The Phoenician Scheme.’ They discuss the new themes Anderson tackles that he typically avoids, celebrate the phenomenal performances from Michael Cera and Mia Threapleton, and discuss how a second viewing can unlock a better understanding of the movie’s ideas (1:36). Then, for the first time in Big Picture history, Wes Anderson joins the show to discuss the movie, the connective tissue across his filmography, and how he experiments in new projects (50:37).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Wes Anderson

Producer: Jack Sanders

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We are drafting again! Sean and Amanda are joined by several Ringer all-stars for a mega-draft of the best movies from 2000.

The Big Picture will be live in Chicago on July 21! Tickets go on sale Wednesday, June 4 at 12p CT.

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Chris Ryan, Van Lathan, Mallory Rubin, Joanna Robinson, Rob Mahoney, and Bobby Wagner

Producer: Jack Sanders

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Bobby Wagner joins the show to bid farewell to The Big Picture and The Ringer at large. We look back at how he started working on the show and run through all of his favorite moments during his time as a producer (0:54). Then, Bobby finally convinces Sean and Amanda to discuss ‘Shrek’ and ‘Shrek 2’ on the show and talk about why ‘Shrek’ is such a critical movie for young millennials and early Gen Z (23:40).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Bobby Wagner

Producer: Jack Sanders

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Sean and Amanda start the show with a quick recap of all the awards handed out at the Cannes Film Festival and wonder what this year's ‘Anora’ could be (1:13). Then, they react to the biggest Memorial Day weekend box office in history and consider what it means for the industry going forward (7:34). Next, they discuss Disney’s newest live-action remake, ‘Lilo & Stitch,’ and explain why not only this specific movie but also this “genre” at large does not work for them (17:34). Finally, they cover A24’s strange but hilarious comedy ‘Friendship,’ starring Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd (43:20), and finish the episode with their top five favorite friendships in movie history (1:02:13).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Producer: Jack Sanders

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Sean and Amanda return to continue their yearlong project of listing the 25 best movies of the 21st century so far. Today, they discuss Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece, ‘Spirited Away’: the wonderful 2002 animated fantasy film, which features an unbound representation of what it feels like to be a child. They talk about what they make of Chihiro as an unusual main character figure, celebrate the huge technical achievement in its stunning animation, and explore how its “perfect movie status" is defined by its singularity.

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Producer: Jack Sanders

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Sean and Amanda need you to trust them one last time as they unpack the highly anticipated ‘Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning,’ starring Tom Cruise. Before diving into the film, they briefly recap all of the news headlines from the Cannes Film Festival by highlighting all of the heavy hitters, big surprises, and disappointments (1:05). Then, they unpack their complicated feelings on the newest ‘Mission: Impossible’ movie and discuss its legendary set pieces that might be the greatest of the entire franchise, plus its very deep flaws (19:42). Finally, they update their ‘Mission: Impossible’ rankings to see where this new installment fits among the rest of the series at large (1:21:04).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Producer: Jack Sanders

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Sean is joined by Chris Ryan to discuss the flaw in death’s design by covering ‘Final Destination Bloodlines,’ the latest installment in the legendary, violent franchise (2:57). They share why they have such a great affinity for the 'Final Destination' series at large, spoil the movie by highlighting the electrifying kills that define the movie’s success (14:38), and go through every single kill in the entire franchise and rank their personal favorites (31:29).

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guest: Chris Ryan

Producer: Jack Sanders

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Sean and Amanda are joined by Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, and Chris Ryan for a very special episode where they draft the best movies of Tom Cruise’s legendary career. They talk about their relationship to Cruise, introduce some new draft categories, and have a whole lot of fun.

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan, and Bobby Wagner

Producer: Jack Sanders

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Sean and Amanda return to continue their yearlong project of listing the 25 best movies of the 21st century so far. Today, they discuss Lars von Trier’s ‘Melancholia,’ the deeply upsetting 2011 science fiction drama, which stars Kirsten Dunst and Kiefer Sutherland and features one of the greatest opening scenes of all time. They discuss Dunst’s astounding performance, explain why this was such a critical project for von Trier’s career, and revisit the infamous controversy at the Cannes Film Festival and consider what it means for the legacy of the film.

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Producer: Jack Sanders

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Sean and Amanda open up the mailbag once again to answer all of your questions about underrated indie directors they’d like to see get the “Sean Baker treatment” at this year's Oscars, why Amanda majored in classics, recent films that are the most likely to inspire the next generation of filmmakers, and much more (3:05). Then, Alex Ross Perry returns to the show to discuss his new genre-bending music biopic, ‘Pavements.’ They discuss what attracted Perry to making this stylized vision, the complicated and interesting process behind making the movie, and what types of projects he’d like to take on in the future (1:02:33).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Alex Ross Perry and Bobby Wagner

Producer: Jack Sanders

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